Drill pipe protector applying and installing apparatus



W 0, 1948. A. M. GRAHAM 2,440,009

DRILL PIPE PROTECTOR APPLYING AND INSTALLING' APPARATUS Filed Oct. 18,1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I r I l I my 0702: 8

' ATTOQNEK April 1943- I A. M. GRAHAM 2,440,009

DRILL PIPE PROTECTOR APPLYING AND INSTALLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 18,1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 582 :58 22 a 0 4 H H 3 I A 7' 7' Ole/YE K April20, 1948. A. M. GRAHAM DRILL PIPE PROTECTOR APPLYING AND INSTALLINGAPPARATUS Filed Oct. 18, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 nroz;

April 20, 1948. A. M. GRAHAM 2,440,009

DRILL PIPE PROTECTOR APPLYING AND INSTALLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 18,1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Arrae/rer.

Patented Apr. 20, 1948 2,440,009 DRILL PIPE PROTECTOR APPLYINGINSTALLING APPARATUS Adelhert m. Graham, Beverly mm, can.. as-

aignor, by meme assignments, Company, Trenton, N. 1., a corporation ofDela- Application October is, 1940', Serial No. 381,736 '11 Claims. (c1.za-m) My invention relates to methodand means for applying expansibleannular protectors to drill pipe or other members which are to beemployed in a well. I

As example of the utility or my invention, its use in conjunction withthe rotarysystem otwell drilling will be explained. In rotary welldrillin a drilling tool is secured to the lower end (or a string of pipeandrotation is transmittedfrom a rotary machine at the top of the wellthrough the drill pipe to the tool. To reduce wear on the drill pipe andalso on the metal wall of such casing as may be installed in the well,and also to act as centralizing means for the drill pipe, it is now apractice to place on the drill pipe at suitable intervals protectorscomprising annular bodies of resilient and yleldable material, such asrubber or rubber compound. These protectors are molded with theirinternal diameter smaller than It is a further object oi. the inventionto provide a method and apparatus whereby the drill pipe protectors areexpanded at a plant or location selected for this operation, aretransported 5 in expanded condition to the well or wells and thereatplaced upon and allowed to contract upon and they are individuallyplaced in or connected to a simple applying device which is operative toremove the protectors from the holders so that the protectors mycontract upon and around sethe external diameter of the pipe so that theprolected portions or the drill pipe to be protected.

tectors must be stretched in order to apply them to the drill pipe, theresult being that tension acting in the walls or the protectors willcause them to tightly grip the pipe. 80 as to minimize the It is anobject of the invention to provide as an article or manufacture anexpanded drill pipe protector held upon a holder equipped forcooperation with a device for removing the protector possibility of theprotectors slipping over 'couas from the holder.

plings and tool joints forming a part of thedrill string,it is desirableto so make these protectors that the tension forces acting therein willbe quite large so as to produce a near maximum gripping.

The further object of the invention is to provide a protector applyingdevice which may be readily transported to a desired location, thisapplying device having means for receiving a proeffect. It will berecognized that 9. correspondtector unit comprising a holder with anexpanded ingly heavy force is required to expand these protectors so asto place them upon the drill pipe. In my co-pending application forDrill pipe protector applicator, Serial No. 346,615, filed July 20,

protector thereon and having means ior removing the expanded protectorfrom the separate protector holder so that the protector will be allowedto contract around a selected portion of a drill 1940, issued 1380.1,1942, as Patent No. 2,303,689, pipe, and it is also an object of theinvention to I have disclosed power operated apparatus for stretchingdrill pipe protector and for placing the same at selected positions on adrill pipe. This apparatus is quite heavy and involves considerableexpense in the manufacture thereof.

It is an object of my present invention to improve methods and apparatusfor applying protectors to drill pipe, of the general characterdisclosed in my co-pending application above idenprovide as a means forapplying drill pipe protectors to drill pipe, a protector applyingdevice and a plurality of holders to cooperate therewith whereby theholders with the protectors thereon may be consecutively brought intojuxtaposition with the operating mechanism of the applying device.

Further objects and advantages or the invention will be brought out inthe following part of tified. Rubber drill pipe protectors are customthespecification wherein I have shown the broad arily applied to the drillpipe in the derrick, prior to the making up of the continuous drill pipestring and accordingly it is necessary to transport the relatively heavyequipment. often over a concept of my invention embodied in the detailsor construction of a selected apparatus for the practice or theinvention.

Referring to drawings which are for illustrative considerable distance,to the derrick or the well so purposes only:

in which the string of drill pipe is to be used. My present inventionmakes it possible to reduce the amount of equipment which must betransported to the wellfor purpose or stretching the pro- Fig. 1 is apartly sectioned view showing the protector expanding device forming apart or my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken as indicated by tectors and thenapplying them-to the pipe. '55 the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

to the location, generally the derrick of a well, I

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevational view showing that part my inventionconstituting an article of commerce comprising an expanded drillpipeprotector on a holder.

Fig. 4 is a partly sectioned view showing the holder and expandedprotector in place in the applying device which forms a partoi. mypresent invention.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view oithe applying device shown in Fig.4.

Fig. 6 is a plan view corresponding to Fig.5.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the area indicatedy he circle 1 of Fig. 5 showing an adaptor insert of diflerent size inuse. a

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken as indicated by the line8-4 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional viewrof an alternative form or applyingdevice expressly suited for use in removing large size protectors fromtheir holders.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary partly sectioned plan view of the device shownin Fig. 9.

In Fig. 1 I show my expanding device it with a drill pipe protector IIon the holding mandrel l2 in readiness for, expansion and placement ona, cylindric holder or sleeve [2 carried in operative position by anadaptor 14 disposed at the upper end of the tubular support l5 which ismoimted on a swingable platform 18 supported by the base II or theexpanding device [0.

The'expanding device It may be constructed in accordance with thedetails disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 346,615, andin- 1 cludes a .pusher element l8 which operates in a guide i9 toforcibly move downward around the mandrel l2 a protector 20 in pusherposition, so that the protector II will be forced down over an expandingcone to a position on the holder is indicated by dotted lines II. Thecylindric holder 13 is a separate unit which is employed in multiplicateso'that any desired number of the protectors ll may be expanded andplaced upon a corresponding number oi! holders, the holders IS with theexpanded protectors ll thereon then constituting articles or commercewhich may be transported as required from their place of assembly ormanufacture. In Fig. 3 I show another holder [2 with an expandedprotector ll thereon, the member II and I2 constituting which may bereferred to as a protector unit 22.InFig.4Ishowaprotectorunit22inplaceinan applying device 22 supportedabove a rotary machine table 24 so as to surround a drill pipe 25 and tohold the protector unit 22 in a position surrounding the drill pipe 2|and in such position that the operation of the applyin device 22 willresult in the transfer of the protector II from the holder I2 onto thesurface of the drill pipe 25.

Each cylindric holder l2 has means whereby 'it may be connected incooperating relation to the support 22. consisting of parts ll, II, andl2 tubular support II which is also provided in multiplicate to takecare of diflerent conditions of operation. The platform It is shown-withan extending arm 20 having pivotal engagement with one 01' thevertical'bars 2i oi the expanding device, and has. a lever 22 whereby itmay be swung in clockwise direction from its position of Fig. 2, tocarry the support 22 out to one side of the expanding-device It. forcoiivenience'in placing the holders l2 on the support "and subsequentlyremoving them; The "expanding cone 2| is also provided in multiplicateinaccordance with diflerent diameters. of holders l2, and

. this come 2| has a shoulder 22 at its lower end of Fig. 1, and wherebyit may be connected in operating relation to the applying device 22,Fig. 4. Such means oi. operative connection- I have shown as arcuatelugs 21, Fig. 3. projecting from the lower end 01' the cylindric wall 2201' the holder [3. The adaptor ring ll, Fig. 1, has therein bayonetnotches 28 to receive the lu s 21 when ring it is threaded into theupper end of the for centralizing engagement with the upper end of thecooperating holder l2. In Fig. 1 I have shown a fluid piping system 2|.in accordance with the disclosure of my co-pending applicatlOn. SerialNo. 346,615, this fluid'piping system 24 having a control valve" for thecontrol 01 7 fluid under pressure to actuate the expanding device It. I

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the applying device 22 comprises acylindrical wall or sleeve 22 having the shoulder 31 at theupper'endthereot, and in such position that when a protector unit 22 isinstalled in the applying device 22 in the position shown, the shoulder2'! will lie in a position surrounding the lower part of 'the holder l2and below the lower end or the protector H. The applying device 22 hasmeans for producing relative axial movement or the shoulder 21 and theholder l2 to accomplish separation of the protector l I and the holderl2. In the preferred form of the applying device 22 disclosed in Figs. 5and 6, the shoulder 21 is maintained stationary and the holder I2 ispulled downward from the posicontract around and upon that portion ofthedrill pipe lying within the guard 22 which comprises a cylindric wallprojecting upward from the periphery of the shoulder 21.

The means which I have provided for pulling the holder i2 downward outof the protector ll includes an adaptor ring 28 ot a size to receivethelower portion of the. holder 12 and having bayonet notches 40 thereinfor interlocking engagement with the arcuate' lugs 21 oi! the holder l2.The adaptor ring 22 is detachably secured in the upper end of acylindric wall ll, smaller than and slidable within the'cylinder 26. Thelower portion of the wall ll projects through packing means 42 held atthe lower end oi the cylinder 26 and is connected to an annular piston'42 which is slidable in a cylinder 44 oi. larger diameter than thecylinder 22 and connected to the lower end of the cylinder 22 by meansof a means 41 to engage the cylinder 22'. A tour way valve 42 isrotatably held in a casing 42 having a port III which communicateswiththe annular space 5| between the radial wall ll and the piston l2,and the port 52 which communicates with the space 52 between thecylinder 26 and the cylindrical wall. As shown in Fig. 8 a pressurefluid pipe 62 communicates with-one side of the casing 49, andthe fluidreturn pipe SI leads out from another part oithe casing 42. when the andexert its pressure downward against the annular piston 43 to force-thecylindrical wall Ii, the adaptor ring 39 and the holder l3 downward, andat the same time fluid may flow out of the space 53 as the volume of thespace 53 is reduced as a result of downward movement of the packing 41at the upper end thereof. Movement of the valve 48 in anti-clockwisedirection through an angle of 90 will reverse the direction of flow offluid through the ports 50 and 52 so that pressure will be applied inthespace 53 to return the movable parts of the device to the positionsin which they are shown in full line in Fig. 5, and to permit passage offluid out from the space ii.

In Fig. '7 I show an adaptor ring 39' of smaller internal diameter thanthe adaptor ring 39, to receive the lower end of a holder [3a of smallerdiameter than the holder I 3 as shown in Fig. 5. In all other respectsthe adaptor ring 39 is the same as the adaptor ring 39. It is threadedat 6 expanded. Likewise, the single expanding device. employed at acentral location, may serve a plurality of apply ng devices 22, employedat widely separated locations. I

The foregoingsimple practice is a marked improvement over the methoddisclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 346,615, which isillustrative of a general practice now being employed. In the oldmethod, it was customary to employ at the location of the pipe to beprotected an expanding device and an applying unit. The

expanding device was first employed to expand 7 the rubber protector onor in the applying device having means for holding the protector in.expanded condition. The applying device was then carried to the rotarytable and employed to apply or transfer the expanded protector onto thesurface of the pipe. My present invention avoids the necessity of therelatively heavy an expanding device with its associated compressor 58for attachment to the upper end of the cylindric-al wall 4| and has aperipheral portion 59 for engagement with the inner face of the cylinder36 and to provide an annular shoulder 60 to serve as an annular pistonback of the packing 41 which is placed in the annular space above aretaining ring Bl which is threaded onto the upper portion of thecylindrical wall 4|. When holder l3a, Fig. '7, is of small diameter andthe protector Ila thereon is relatively smalldiameter, it is advisableto place a supplementary shoulder element 310, comprising a diametrallysplit ring, in the position shown in dotted lines. A preferred manner ofuse of the invention isas follows: A selected number of protector units22, Fig. 3, are made up by use of the expanding device I. As explainedin the foregoing, the holders l3 for these units are individually placedon the support 26 of the expanding device Ill and the protectors Ii areexpanded and placed thereon. A selected or required number of theseunits are transported to the location of the pipe to be protected, forexample the derrick of a. well having suitable hoisting equipment forthe pipe. The applying device 23, which is a relatively light piece ofequipment, is also taken to the location of the pipe, and in conjunctionwith suitable handling Of the pipe the protector units 22 areindividually placed in the applyin device 23 and are transferred to thepipe. A convenient and acceptable practice is to employ the applyingdevice 23 in a position above the rotary table 24 --flning an openingI3.

wherein the pipe 25, Fig. 4, may be lowered therethrough to a desiredposition relative to the protector unit 22. The protector unit 22 isfirst placed within the guard 38 and is engaged with the adaptor ring 39after which the drill pipe 25 is lowered through the protector unit 22and the applying device 23. By means of the handle 62- thereof, theworkmen hold the applying device 23 in a position raised from therotarytable 24. Fluid pressure is then applied to the space ii to pullthe holder I3 down out of the protector I I. An advantage of theinvention is that there is minimum delay in applying the protectors IIto the drill pipe 25, since the protector units 22 may be placedconsecutively in the applying device 23 as fast as the operations areconducted without the necessity of waiting for a protector to beequipment to the location of the well, and also avoids the delayoccasioned by the necessity of individually the protectors onto thesupport of an applying device while the pipe handling crew stands idle.In addition to the foregoing and other advantages the present methoddisclosed herein saves more than half of the time formerly required forthe placing of protectors on a drill pipe by use of equipment such asshown in my co-pending application above referred to.

In the alternative form of applying device shown in Figs. 9 and 10 Iprovide an inner cylinder 10 having an outwardly projecting flange H atits upper end and an inwardly projecting flang 12 at its lower end,-this lower flange de- Around the cylinder 10 an outer cylinder 14 isplaced, which outer cylinder ll has a flange II secured tothe flange Hat the upper end of the inner cylinder It. The outer cylinder II islarger than'the inner cylinder 10 and an annular cylinder space 16 isformed therein in which an annular piston I1 is movable. 'I'heannularpiston II has packing means I8 and I9 to respectively engage inner andouter cylinders Ill and I4. v

A cyllndrlc wall I! extends downward from the annular piston 11 insliding contact with the cylinder II, and at the lower end thereof whichprojects below the lower end of the cylinder 10 the cylindricwall I hasan inwardly projecting flange 82 in which an adaptor ring 82 is secured.The lower end of the outer cylinder 14 carries an annular wall II whichcloses. the lower end of the cylinder space It and carries packing means85 to cooperate with the external surface of the cylindric wall II.

when a protector unit 22 is laced within the device as shown in Fig. 9,the lower end of its cyiindric holder it will project through theopening 13 and be supported by the adaptor ring 83,

which has bayonet slots at to receive the arcuate lugs 21 of the holderii. The upper flange ll of the inner cylinder II has a projection 81,and a passage 8| is extended from the lower face of the projection I!through the flange II to communicate with upper end of the cylinderspace 1-6. The lower end of the outer cylinder 14 has a projection 28thereon in which there is formed a passage 8| leading from the upperface of the lug 89 to the lower end of the cylinder space 18 outside thewall I. A four way valve ll, as shown in Fig. 9, has two of its portsconnected by piping 82 and I: with the passages It and SI, and as shownin Hg. 10, a pressure fluid pipe 9| and a return pipe as arerespectively con- 7 nected to the remaining ports of the valve Oi. whenthe valve ti is manipulated so as to direct the pressure fluid throughthe passage 80 into the upperend of the cylinder space ll, the pressurethereof will force the annular piston l1 downward, with the result thatthe holder II of the protector assembly 22 will be moved downward. whenthe expanded protector. ll of the protector unit 22 enga es the flangeII it will be held stationary and downward movement of the holder i3will result in its being pulled from the interior of the expandedprotector ii where upon the protector ll may contract around a pipe.extended through the holder II. The return of the piston I1 and itsassociated parts to the initial position thereof shown in Fig. 9 may beaccomplished by manipulating the valve ll so as to direct the pressurefiuid through the passage to so that the pressure thereof will beexerted against the lower face of the annular piston I.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a drill pipe protector applying device for separating an expandedprotector from a cylindric holder, the combination of annular cylinderand piston means defining an opening to receive the drill pipe which isto be protected; a support connected to one of said means, said supporthaving parts to lock said holder thereto; an annular shoulder connectedto the other of said means, to confront an end of said protector whenthe holder on which it is mounted is locked to said support; and meansto apply fluid pressure to said cylinder and piston means to producerelative movement of said support and said shoulder to separate saidprotector and said holder.

2. In a drill pipe protector applying device for separating expandedprotectors fromcylindric holders, the combination of: a pair of annularwalls disposed in axially movable relation and each slidably engagingthe other and defining an opening to receive the drill pipe which is tobe protected; a support connected to one of said walls, said supporthaving parts to lock one of said holders thereto; an annular shoulderconnected to the other of said walls, to confront an end of one of saidprotectors when the. holder on which it is mounted is locked to saidsupport; and means to apply relative axial movement to said wallswhereby pressure of said shoulder against said protector and movement ofsaid holder will separate said holder and said protector.

3. In a drill pipe protector applying device for separating an expandedprotector from a cylindric holder, the combination of: double actingannular cylinder and piston means defining an opening to receive thedrill pipe which is to be protected; a support connected to one of saidmeans, said support having parts to lock said holder thereto; an annularshoulder connected to the other of said means, to confront an end ofsaid protector when the holder on which it is mounted is locked to saidsupport;

and means to apply fluid pressure to said cylinder and piston means toproduce relative movement of said support and said shoulder to sep-'arate' said'protector and said holder, and to.

apply fluid pressure to said cylinder and piston means to return them totheir original position of cooperation.

4. In a drill pipe protector applying device for separating an expandedprotector from a cyiindric holder, the combination of inner and outercylindric walls defining an annular cylin- 8 dc; space closedat one endand open at the other. saidinner cylindric wall having an inwardlyprojecting shoulder defining an opening: an annular piston in saidannular cylinder space; means extending from said piston throlli saidopen end of said cylinder space, said means comprising parts forengaging an end of a holder situated within said inner cylindric wallwith said' end thereof projecting through said opening defined by saidshoulder; and means to apply fluid pressure to-said annular cylinderspace to move said piston so as to carry said parts away from saidshoulder and pull said holder through said opening.

5. In an applicator for placing a relatively thick one-piece rubber pipeprotector ring upon a pipe of substantially larger diameter than theinside diameter of the ring, the combination of a relatively thin.smoothsurfaced, metallic first sleeve of an inside diameter which issuflicient for ready telescoping clearance by said sleeve of such a'pipe and of alength greater than but approximating that of such aprotector ring for concentrically mounting the protector ring on saidfirst sleeve under heavy circumferentially acting tensile stresses inthe protector ring; a metallic ring of a diameter to loosely encirclethe pipe; detachably inter-engaging elements on said metallic ring andthe adjacent end of said first sleeve for locking them in axialalignment against forces acting to relatively displace themlongitudinally; a second metallic sleeve of an inside diameter greaterthan the outside diameter of said first sleeve and longitudinallyslidably engaging said metallic ring; radially extending annular meanson said second sleeve of sufncient radial extent for substantial annularendwise thrust engagement with such a mounted protector ring outwardlyfrom a circle adiacent the inner face of said protector ring, said firstsleeve, including the inter-engaging element thereon, beinglongitudinally slidable within said second sleeve, including saidradially extending means thereon, a distance sufilcient for the outerend portion of said first sleeve to pass said radially extending meanson said second sleeve; means for holding said second sleeve stationarywith respect to a pipe disposed within said applicator; and means formoving said metallic ring longitudinally relative to said stationariiyheld second sleeve from an initial position in a direction and for adistance sufilcient to draw said first sleeve toward, within, andsubstantialw through said radially extending means.

6. In an applicator for placing a relatively thick one-piece rubber pipeprotector ring upon a pipe of substantially larger diameter than theinside diameter of the ring, the combination of: a relatively thin,smooth surfaced, metallic first sleeve of an inside diameter which issufilcient for ready telescoping clearance by said sleeve of such a pipeand of a length greater than but approximating thatof such a protectorring for concentrically mounting the protector ring on said first sleeveunder heavy circumferentially acting tensile stresses in the protectorring; a metallic ring of a diameter to loosely encircle the pipe;detachably interengaging elements on said metallic ring and theadiacentend of said first sleeve for locking them in axial alignmentagainst forces acting to relatively displace them longitudinally; asecond metallic sleeve of an inannular means on said second sleeve ofsumcient radial extent for substantial annular endwise thrust engagementwith such a mounted protector ring outwardly from a circle adjacent theinner face of said protector ring, said first sleeve, including theinter-engaging element thereon, being longitudinally slidable withinsaid second sleeve, including said radially extending means thereon, adistance suflicient for the outer end portion of said firstsleeve topass said radially extending means on said second sleeve; means forholding said second sleeve stationary with respect to a pipe disposedwithin said applicator, said -ring and second sleeve having relativelyspaced axially elongated walls and relatively spaced radially extendingwalls respectively providing a longitudinally expansible chamber; andhydraulic means cooperating with said expansible chamber to move saidmetallic ring longitudinally relative to said stationarlly held secondsleeve from an initial position in a direction and for a distancesuflicient to draw said first sleeve toward, within, and through saidradially extending means.

'7. The combination defined in claim 6 in which said relatively spacedaxially elongated walls are concentric cylindric walls coaxial with saidapplicator.

8. The combination defined in claim 6 in which said relatively spacedaxially elongated walls are concentric cylindric guard walls coaxialwith said applicator and extend from said shoulder in a directionopposite the aforesaid direction, a distance approximately equal to thelength of said first sleeve.

9. The combination defined in claim 6 in which said holding means is amanual grip secured to and extending laterally outwardly from saidsecond sleeve.

10. In an applicator for placing a relatively Number thick one-piecerubber pipe protector ring upon a pipe of substantially larger diameterthan the inside diameter of the ring, the combination of a thin walledsleeve of an internal diameter to slide over said pipe, said sleevebeing adapted to receive an expanded rubber protector thereon; a firstcylindric member of larger internal diameter than the external diameterof said pipe, said member having means to connect it to one end of saidsleeve; a second cylindric member also of 10 larger diameter than saidsleeve, in sliding engagement with said first cylindric member andcooperating therewith so as to form an annular fluid receiving chamberin which fluid pressure will cause relative movement of said first andsecond cylindric members; a third cylindric member surrounding saidprotector when it is in place on said sleeve, having a shoulder toengage the inner end of said protector, said third cylindric memberbeing rigidly connected to said second cylindric member; and means forapplying fluid pressure to said chamber so as to produce movement ofsaid first cylindric member relatively to said second and thirdcylindric members and to produce relative movement of said sleeve andsaid shoulder whereby said sleeve will be withdrawn from said protector.

11. In a drill pipe protector applying device for separating an expandedprotector from a cylindric holder having a locking member at one endthereof, the combination of: annular cylinder and piston means definingan opening to receive the drill pipe which is to be protected; a supportconnected to one of said means, said support having parts to engage saidlocking member of said holder thereto; an annular shoulder connected tothe other of said means, to confront an end of said protector when theholder on which it is mounted is locked to said support, said annularshoulder defining an opening of such size that said locking member ofsaid holder may pass therethrough.

ADELBERT M. GRAHAM.

file of this patent:

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